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The following is excerpted from the Deseret News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE. 

Editor’s note: The following is a transcript of the [podcast] episode. It’s been edited for clarity.

Boyd Matheson: Diseases of despair, including depression, anxiety and suicide, seem to be destroying individuals while decimating families and communities. Social media creates constant comparisons and outsized expectations. Many ask the question, “Am I good enough?” Or “Will I make it?” Elder Devn Cornish of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints shares his unique perspective on this week’s episode of Therefore, What?

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We’re very pleased to be joined today by Elder J. Devn Cornish, a general authority seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Cornish received a Bachelor of Arts in biology from Johns Hopkins University in 1975, and in 1978 received a Doctor of Medicine also from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his pediatric residency at the Boston Children’s Hospital at Harvard University. He also served as chairman in the Department of Pediatrics in the Emory University School of Medicine. His church service includes being a full-time missionary in the Guatemala El Salvador Mission, a bishop, stake president, president of the Dominican Republic Santiago Mission and an area seventy. Elder Cornish, thanks for joining us today.

Elder Cornish: It’s a pleasure to be with you, Boyd.

BM: Well, this is one of those topics, these diseases of despair. The challenges of anxiety and depression continue to plague the nation and plague individuals in our communities. We often refer to these as getting comfortable with some of the uncomfortable conversations. As you’ve ministered throughout the church, as you’ve traveled the world, what have you learned about mental health and dealing with some of these diseases of despair?

EC: It’s an important question. First of all, I’ve learned that disease is no respecter of persons. People become depressed and have mental illness, whether they are rich or poor, whether they live in advanced cultures or in depressed and difficult cultures. People are susceptible to mental and emotional difficulties, whether they have a background of those things in their family or not. So the first message is this is no respecter of persons, people get these things.

BM: I think sometimes we do feel like, what’s wrong with me? I think people often ask themselves that very question of is there something wrong with me. What else have you seen in terms of how do we come to grips with that?

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